Travelling Light

What can you do without? Technology wise. I think for many, the novelty and goal of gadgets and modern technology is to minimise the amount of effort that regular activities require. The electric pepper grinder, the car keys that whistle, and the very coveted motorised ice cream cone. Yes, you heard me. The ice cream cone that allows you to take in every Vanilla Fudge calorie without having to exert yourself by twisting and turning your wrist to prevent your melting ice cream from dripping anywhere but in your mouth.

Now before you start thinking that the contraption that makes bits of old soap into a brand new bar is so five minutes ago, consider one of the top ten winners of this years Landfill Prize...a motorised fork. Mmmhmm. It will turn your spaghetti when you just can't face doing it yourself.

Don't look at me like that, the Landfill Prize was John Naish's idea. He's an environmental writer who's pretty fed up with useless consumer inventions. The public was invited to submit their version of pointless, wasteful consumer candy. A panel of judges made the final call though and the motorised ice cream cone came out tops.

The inventor made one fatal mistake in their designs though, they didn't include it on a cell phone. Mobile applications have allowed people to move away from the PC, still enjoy all the benefits of modern day distractions and social networks without being tied to any one location. Its like a global version of Nintendo Wii only the game is Life. Its survival of the fittest and people were just getting fat and going blind behind computers. Mobile solutions proved to be the antidote.

Mobile technology have made it possible to be anywhere and be at the office. Or better yet, just be anywhere. Travel has, in the last hundred years, become one of the most coveted human experiences. Not for everybody mind you, but for a lot of us. Minimising your luggage/baggage is also now in order and never, never travel without your cell phone.

I went on a trip to a "third world country" this year and was shocked to discover that the person I was travelling with left their mobile phone at home - on purpose and every time the rickshaw driver would pull over, he'd have to get out his Lonely Planet and scour the index for the appropriate page and information. Wow. That was travelling old school.

There are no lonely planets is some solar systems, hummba.com in particular. If your mobile phone is GPS enabled, with WAP capabilities, well then the world is your schmorgen board. A passport, a few visas, working credit card and your cell phone and you're good to go. Now, don't get me wrong, I love the traditional travel resources and will continue to use them but isn't it time we lightened up a little? Our load I mean. Keep it a little more simple and a lot more enjoyable.

Cell phones by design have a very short life span. They last usually for the standard duration of your contract...2 years. That's 14 in dog years and a lifetime in the technology age. After two years, technology has travelled light years to something smaller or bigger (depending on fashion), better, faster and simply more cool. Cell phones have become the new smoking. and that is the truth. It was cool to smoke before, not so much anymore. Cell phones also put you in a certain cool category, but already the social monster is rumbling, commenting on cell phone etiquette or at least, the lack there of.

The good news is that mobile applications are being churned out as fast as phones are. And their lifespan is somewhat longer. Sure, they will evolve and change to meet market demands but they will exist and have even become the motivation to advance mobile technology. So take it from me, never judge a mobile by its cover, always check the applications inside. So, again, what can you live without? The digital electronic jumping rope? Check. The air guitar that actually plays music? Check. You mobile phone and all its applications? Um, no, that one is here to stay.

Visit www.hummba.com to download their application onto your GPS enabled cell phone. Its travelling light at its best.